


Of Colds and Snuggles

by Nezanie



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Genre: F/F, Fluff, glitradora focusing on glimmer/catra, ridiculously caring Catra who is used to tending to sick dumbasses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 14:16:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16766776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nezanie/pseuds/Nezanie
Summary: In which Adora ropes in Catra to take care of a princess with a cold.





	Of Colds and Snuggles

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by seadragon1012, a drabble to focus on Glimmer/Catra . Enjoy and thanks for the prompt!

Catra found herself sneaking into the Bright Moon palace, a little bit out of habit of avoiding attention and a little bit out of intimidation of the queen. Alright, perhaps it was a tad more than ‘a little’, she could just not get used to someone so regal and motherly, especially when that person was upset. She’d received the message Glimmer was down with a cold the evening before, setting out from her post and hoping Entrapta wouldn’t wreck havoc and build anything unreasonably destructive under Scorpia’s care. For they worked almost too well together and could get over excited when someone wasn’t holding the reigns. After all, it wasn’t as easy when it was her place to clean up to the place to begin with. Nonetheless, the two reassured her she could slip away for a couple of days to check on her ‘favourite princesses’. Catra clicked her tongue wondering where all the snark came from in such a ditsy, curious birdbrain of a princess and a lovable ex-force captain. She really did like them too much. She’d also never admit it out loud without cauxing. 

“Oh hey, you!” 

It was Bow that greeted her, carrying a water jug and some nibbles she wasn’t certain a certified doctor would approve. Her ears flicked and she cracked him a smile, “How’s our knucklehead, she panicking yet?”

“She’s not too bad, Glimmer’s hanging in there as well,” he winked, rewarded with a snicker from the other. “Although she’s been sorta....all over the place, but it’s ok queen angella has an idea,,”

“Ehhhh, Princess Poof will survive, we’ll see to it,” Catra replied hooking her thumbs in her belt. She wasn’t quite sure what he had meant, didn’t Glimmer just have a common cold? How was she even able to have energy to move so much?

Bow hummed uncertain, shaking his head, lips pursed in a judging manner, “Not your best nickname,”

Catra shrugged pacing a few steps ahead towards Glimmers room, the boy following closely making sure not to drop the snacks or the water. 

“Guess I’m a little bit worried too,” she admitted snickering as he slipped closer and nudged her with an elbow. She pushed back playfully as he did so starting a game between them.

“Awww Catra, so you do care,” Bow cooed, she was about to grumble at him and shut him up when a noise caught her attention. The pitter patter of footsteps came from the direction they were headed, and soon enough Adora skidded to a halt by their side.

“Catra you made it!” she beamed nearly throwing herself at her, locking her in a bear hug. Catra smacked her palm into the other’s face pushing her away trying to regain easy access to air.

“Sorry, I’m just happy! Glimmer’s so tired and we’re out of medicine, with the horde’s attacks not relenting everything’s just low in stock,” Adora’s shoulders slumped and she ran a hand through her disheveled hair. “I was just on my way to see if I could get some from Perfuma, and…”

Catra cut her off raising a hand, she rolled her eyes already seeing where this was going, “And you need someone to look after the hay-wiring sparkles right?” At least Adora did try her best to look sheepish as she gave her thumbs up for her accurate guess. “Of course,”

“That would be so, so, so great if you could,” she pleaded, eyes large and hopeful forcing Catra to shut her own and squeeze them tight. “I know you like Glimmer, you don’t fight anymore,you talk...more...eh,” Catra squinted at the other before her expression deadpan causing Adora to cough to a stop. “So, yeah, please?”

Catra gave her a few more seconds to wonder what she’d say before nodding giving her a more accepting expression and an agreeable hum to go with it.

“Eh, sure why not, can’t be worse than babysitting sick Adora back at the Horde,” she flashed her best smirk at the other, a pout for her snark making her feel pretty good about her wit today. Chuckling lightly, she planted her hand on Adora’s shoulder, knowing that the other always needed just that little push sometimes, “Just leave it to me, go get our supplies so Princess Mcglitters can get better faster,”

Adora blinked in surprise, a soft smile replacing her near incredulity as she patted the hand on her shoulder and jumped off excitedly, “Thanks, we’ll be back before you know it,”

She took a few steps away before looking back, “Just...easy with the nicknames?”

Catra shrugged, “Twinkles it is,”. Adora could only purse her lips,unfortunately Catra knew she liked them just as much as Catra loved making the nickname up, even now Adora was trying to hold back her own mirth. It did wonders to her nerves knowing Glimmer was in good enough hands. “Come on, Bow,”

Bow’s grunted in surprise as he looked at Adora’s speeding away and back to Catra, “Oh I’m going too?” He shoved his hoard into Catra’s open arms and scurried after her, making sure to wave at the amused feline, before trying to keep up with Adora, “Calm down and wait for me!” He wailed after her, his voice bouncing against the walls of the empty corridor. Catra finally made her way to the princess’ room already semi-regretting her decision. Their relationship had improved, they actually  _ liked _ each other now as opposed to always picking up fights, yet it burned at the back of her mind. This would mark their first time hanging out alone. ‘Alright, then _ … _ ’

* * *

Catra winced as the door creaked even at the most gentle of pushes, with her hands occupied she had to open the damn thing with her tail. Peeking inside she noted Glimmer must have been asleep, it was too quiet.  _ ‘She’s definitely unconscious,’ _ she thought mildy bemused. 

She scanned for a place to set the jug and various items she had been saddled dumping them on whatever furniture had space, closing the door behind her a little bit more cautiously. Once her hands had been freed, and the dressing table was cluttered with food, Catra directed her gaze upward only for her face to fall in dismay. Glimmer’s hands and feets were wriggling in the air, a few irritated and muffled shrieks escaping her. She hadn’t heard her coming in.

“Of course, she’s still got energy,” Catra muttered, comically shaking her hands in the direction of the bed. She must have been louder than she thought for she heard the bedsheets crumple.

“Adora?” Glimmer whined, coughing right after. Catra’s ears twitched at the unpleasant sound, at the very least it sounded like a dry cough, Bow had been right in getting a lot of water ready. 

“Adora’s getting some stuff for ya,” Catra yawned acting unfazed. She was greeted by a tiny gasp, Glimmer’s fingers were the first thing in sight grasping the rim of her bed. Catra waved lazily as Glimmer’s head bopped into view and settling her chin on the back of her knuckles. Her eyes huge and wondrous, Catra guessed she was a surprise of the good sort since nothing was being thrown at her. Huh, that’s a first. This really wasn’t the Horde.

“Oh, Catra, riiiiiight Adora did say something about medicine,” her voice, ghastly and raspy, most likely her nose was stuffy from blockage. Catra didn’t miss how her tone dropped in disappointment. Noticing Catra’s deadpan stare Glimmer perked right up in the most fake and monotone manner, “Oh hey, but  _ you’re _ here! That’s coolio, really awesome…!”

Catra raised a brow at the stammering princess dismissing her ramblings with a quick whistle to garner attention. “Sorry, guess we’re...i’m still awkward, you know,” Glimmer whispered her head receding back a little so only her eyes and bob of hair remained visible. Her nose whistled every now and then making the scene even more heart tugging. 

_ ‘I don’t know what I was so afraid of, _ ’ Catra thought hiding a smile behind her hand, biting her knuckle. “We’ll work it out twinkles, how are you feeling?”

“Absolutely  _ disgusting _ ,” she giggled, coming back out of her shell made of blankets.

Catra turned to the stack of food behind her, pointing with her thumb towards it, “Need anything before I come up there?”

Glimmer shook her head, “Oh Bow, that worrywart.” Glimmer slumped her arms dangling at the edge of the bed, “ _ and _ my mum’s already on her way to make me a twelfth cup of lemon, ginger herbal concoction or  _ something,  _ too,”

“Guess I’ll join you then,” Catra said scratching an ear, making her way around to the perfect jumping spot. Thankfully the floating pedestals were still active, courtesy of the queen to the less flighty no doubt, so it was a matter of skipping up the footholds more than anything. She saw Glimmer stretch, a yawn seemed to be coming on, yet her hands shot up to cover her mouth and Catra’s ears flicked, flattening at the sound that Glimmer made.

The sneeze was followed by a pop. Catra grimaced, her tail spasming disagreeably. She disliked sneezes, it gave the illusion that the person’s heartbeat had jumped, almost as if coming to stop. It made her skin crawl. In a blink of an eye, Catra understood something else wasn’t right.

“Huh?” Catra jerked, startled as she saw Glimmer had disappeared before a shadow obscured her surroundings. She barely had time to react as she looked up, Glimmer had her eyes shut and frozen in shock. Thankfully Catra did open her arms instinctively, grunting as she felt the wind being knocked out of her. Glimmer yelped as they slipped of the foot hold, by some miracle Catra managed to grab ahold of the rim but she could feel her fingers slip. Glimmer held onto her in a vice like grip looking sheepish. 

“Holy shit, shit, shit... _ shit _ ” Catra managed to shriek, making sure she had a good hold of Glimmer and pulled her close to her chest. Her back was about to get cracked for good if they didn’t think quickly. Her ears flattened against her scalp as she her finger slid off the rim, tail wounding round Glimmers waist as she crumpled against her, her body naturally trying to move her to safety. Another sneeze came on, she couldn’t see as they’d both closed their eyes. A strange feeling tingled against her skin and insides, it wasn’t unpleasant albeit itchy, and then the impact came with a...Pomf. The pain however did not come as she had guessed it would. They seemed to have bounced against a soft surface and Catra forced her eyes open to make sure they hadn’t just plummeted to the afterlife, her hair was standing on end, her tail looking like an oversized dust brush. Breathing unsteadily she noted they had landed on the bed. The anticlimactic end forcing her to plant her hands on her face as she whined, mostly in relief.

“Oh thank the stars, oh man, you poofed us,” Catra stumbled to find the correct words, her heart painfully drumming against her ribcage. “Has this been happening all day?” Now she understood what Bow had meant by ‘all over the place’. 

“So-sorry,” Glimmer sniffled, nodding, all the while trying to roll off from Catras stomach. She moved her arms on either side of Catra’s head and pushed herself up. She froze, as if shocked in noticing how she was basically stradling the other girl. Catra gave her a questioning glance, her expression shifted into mischievous, a cocky grin sending Glimmers stomach into unstoppable flutters. “Isn’t  _ somebody _ bold today?”

Glimmer made an aggravated noise throwing herself to Catra’s side in a fetal position.Her face felt hot in her hands and she could feel Catra shift behind her, “Hey, just teasing, don’t get your panties in a knot.” Glimmer got back up using her elbow as leaver and turning to pout at Catra, she didn’t look very repentant with her easy going smile and a nail scratching at her neck. Maybe a tad nervous. Glimmer was starting to feel the tension loosening between them even so. 

“That’s cool by me, you’re fu-,” Glimmer’s face scrunched up right in the middle of her supportive speech, Catra’s eyes bulged noticing another sneeze coming. She did the only thing that came to mind and covered Glimmer’s mouth pinching her nose. The poor princess could only narrow her eyes at the other but it did the trick.

“Okay, alright, I know this isn’t what you’re supposed to do but i’d rather you didn’t break your neck! So I just...acted impulsively, as always, ah,” Catra said shakily, expression rueful.

Glimmer patted her hand taking a deep breath once her wind pipes were free to work their magic once more, “I know, I just hate this, I never thought a cold could jumble my powers like this, i mean i never had a c-”

A sneeze escaped her mid panicked explanation and Catra’s cry died in her throat as the girl before popped out of view in a blink. It started a frenzied chase between the two as Catra tried to catch the other only to lose her with another sneeze or have her poof just before she got to her. It was only the intervention of the queen, who brought some lighter, healthier snacks for the girl that finally put an end to their game of tag.

“Your aunt sent a potion that will temporarily seal your teleporting,” the queen sighed, she looked worried and extremely tired. Turning to Catra she seemed a tad reluctant as she requested her help, “I’d like to ask you to keep an eye on my daughter, since Bow and Adora aren’t back yet, and I need to attend to some guests,”

Catra gave a curt bow, hoping her expression didn’t betray hurt. It was to be expected that the queen would be the most difficult in the matter of earning trust. Impatience never got her anything but a stern lecture and a buttload of pain she’d rather forget about. Besides, this was an opportunity and one that she found she would have performed regardless if asked. Glimmer was a fun...friend? She wondered if she could call her that. 

“No need to ask,” she said a little bluntly, “i’d have stayed anyway!” Perhaps her feelings went a little beyond friendship at this point.

The medicine did prove effective, Glimmer was already exhausted from all the accidental teleporting and the potion had made her feel a little heavier, listless. Shivering she tried to bundle up as much as possible, sleep never coming as easily as she hoped. Her stuffed nose proving too much of a distraction.

“How about a grape?” Catra slurped licking the juice of the apple she was crunching on from her lips, “You’re feeling cold because you haven’t eaten anything,”

“My stomach’s still all tied up in knots,” she whimpered, turning to face the other who was sitting at the edge of her bed. Catra reached out, nails dragging against her forehead playfully, she picked at her fringe of her hair arranging a few stray hairs. It surprised Glimmer how gentle the girl could be, almost as if she was used to it. “A tad warm,” Catra murmured looking unpleased.

“Did Adora used to get sick?” Glimmer inquired, her usual sparkle of curiosity coming back to her drowsy features.

Catra snorted in reply, “We used to get sick all the time, didn’t show it, Adora went through training with a high fever once, lizard boy could feel her radiating heat by his side!” Catra’s face scrunched up angrily, “They didn’t really care for anything but results, we just had to make sure we would be okay ourselves,”

Glimmer winced, regretting choosing such a raw topic, ”Sorry, didn’t mean to remind you of that place,”

“It’s no big deal,” Catra yawned pulling her feet onto the bed as she fully turned to Glimmer and folding them. “At least Adora  _ would _ drink her soup,”

Glimmer huffed but the reprimanding stare of the other got the better of her. It was funny, she had always thought Catra more of the rogue type than the caring. “Okay, okay,” Glimmer sat up drawing the blankets around her, “I’ll have the soup, gosh! You’re sounding like my mother,”

“That wouldn’t be so bad, she’s wise, and pretty cool,” Catra noted absently, the princess nodded solemnly. “You’ll get there don’t worry,” she whispered and Glimmer seem to perk up. The soup did seem to do her much good, her pale cheeks seemed to gain some colour almost immediately. The warmth in her belly did wonders and help to settle it down. The shivering lessened a tad as well and Catra decided she was going to get rid of it permanently. 

Once Glimmer ate up what she could, she tried once more to get some rest. Catra curled up by Glimmer’s back as she rested and the princess sighed in the blissful warmth Catra emitted. Glimmer wiggled around and Catra found herself looking up to her chin. Her hand dragged slowly through her scruffy mess of hair, making sure to not to tug at any knots she encountered, loosening them little by little.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Catra mumbled only meaning to half scold the girl.

Glimmer laughed breathlessly, a nasal sound as her nose remained congested, “I’m tired but I just can’t seem to fall asleep,”

Catra sighed and let her play with her hair, besides the scratches behind her ears felt nice so she didn’t feel the need to complain.Win-win. A soft rumble sprang up from her chest the only thing she knew to do best in an attempt to help her get her sleep, “How’s this?”

Glimmer gasped in surprise, “What’s  _ that _ ?” A laugh followed the question half transforming to a cough.

“I dunno, I’ve always been able to do it,” she replied, her hand moving behind Glimmer’s back trying to rub in soothing motions even after the coughing fit, “Adora said it made her feel better, it’s not a big deal,” That said, she couldn’t stop grinning.

“I  _ love _ it,” Glimmer replied gleefully squishing Catra to her chest before realizing exactly what she had done. Catra re-positioned undeterred by the embarrassed princess, pulling Glimmer close to her so she could drape an arm around the girl, her tail lazily tapping against Glimmer’s thigh, “Good, the idea was to cheer you up after all,” Glimmer giggled, if she wasn’t already been red from her slight fever she was sure she was now.

Glimmer relaxed in Catra’s embrace with a sigh feeling the shivers signaling her body was building up heat. She placed her ear against Catra’s chest and letting the vibrations coming from deep within soothe her. She might as well take the advantage of the situation since Catra was being so agreeable. “I’ve never pegged you for the snuggling type,” she whispered dozily. 

“Yeaaaah,” Catra said dragged the word on, “Don’t get used to it princess, it’s a treat for just today.” She patting her a little forcefully on the head to prove her point.

“Mhmmm,” she hummed sleepily, and Catra lips twitched in a smile noting how the other was finally being lulled to sleep, pulling the blanket to envelop the both of them she settled in closing her eyes. A cat nap didn’t sound too bad, perhaps when they woke up, Glimmer would be feeling at least a little better.

* * *

“I don’t think we should wake them now,” Bow whispered, looking down at the cuddling duo. Catra’s limbs were slumped around Glimmer, one hand by the other’s head, he noted that she had probably been patting the princess at some point. He stifled the urge to coo.

Adora nodded rubbing the back of her hand against Catra’s cheeks, noting that Glimmer’s complexion was much better. Catra had always been persuasive even when talking other’s into taking care of themselves. Infuriatingly so sometimes, but Adora knew she meant well. Instances were a feverish Adora was hidden even though she’d been protesting about skipping training came to mind. The sharp tongued feline girl always had her back.

Catra shifted in her sleep exhaling peacefully as she was caressed and leaning into the touch causing the two to grin foolishly at one another.

“Let’s throw a party or go out somewhere when Glimmer’s better,” Bow suggested, tapping his chin “I wanna thank Catra, without a big fuss, since she’s pretty reserved,”

“If it’s just us, I think she’d like it,” Adora agreed keeping her voice low, she patted Glimmer’s cheek moving to her forehead, it didn’t feel so hot anymore. The medicine would probably do get rid of the cold completely with a full recovery for their bouncy friend.

“Good idea,” he said making himself comfortable by Glimmer’s side. Adora was glad the bed was large enough to hold them all and followed suit pressing herself against Catra, spooning her. She’d think about the consequences of displaying such affection with the ex-force captain when they woke up later on. It suited her just fine, thinking about Catra’s embarrassed face was something to look forward to in their newfound once in a while carefree days.


End file.
